


Through the ash

by MyLadyDay



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, M/M, Reincarnation, pompeiiAU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-18 09:27:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2343491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyLadyDay/pseuds/MyLadyDay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Much was lost that day, an entire civilization crumbling beneath the ashes, but before the fall, there was happiness to be gained. Set in Turtlefriedrice's PompeiiAU from the story 'Beneath the ash'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

****With the sunlight filtering through the curtains of his open windows, Izou draped Smoker’s red cloak around his shoulders, covering his naked body. Smoker was in the middle of redressing by the bed, his protective gear giving him no trouble as he had years upon years of experience with the armor. Just like Izou had experience with pleasuring him while words of praise and adoration were whispered into his ear only for the affection to turn cold as soon as they were done. Taking the cloak, the general’s last piece of clothing, was Izou’s final rebellion, a futile attempt at trying to keep him there for a moment longer. After all, his whole life was in that house with Smoker as his only company whenever the general decided to grace him with a visit.

He was frustrated, of course, but it would all be worth it if Smoker stayed for longer, his wife be damned to hell. Having only one exclusive customer that paid well enough was a rarity in his line of work, but Izou had to admit it was nothing like what he had expected. Freedom was a commodity he no longer possessed, his body nothing but a tool in the hands of a possessive jealous man. He was the only constant in Izou’s life, him and a single low ranking soldier that stood guard by the door during these visits.

The red fabric, its touch so familiar on his skin, was soft around him, covering him from the base of his chin to the tips of his toes. His eyes were set on Smoker’s form and the way his gaze was fixed on tying the ornate guards around his wrists. It pained Izou to see him lose interest in so fast, any semblance of affection disappearing from Smoker’s gaze. He couldn’t really describe his feelings as love either, but it certainly wasn’t an arrangement he still appreciated.

“I believe it’s time we terminated our agreement,” Izou spoke softly, the cloak pulled up just enough to cover his mouth as well. The words made Smoker stop and finally look at Izou, if only for a moment before he resumed his previous action.

“Why do you believe that?” His tone held no warmth, and it only solidified Izou’s decision.

“I don’t feel that this arrangement is in my best interest,” he replied without looking away.

Finally done with his task, Smoker turned his attention to Izou, taking in his appearance and the way his own long red cloak looked much better on Izou’s lighter figure. He walked towards Izou, his expression visibly softening as his hand came up to cup Izou’s face.

“I do all of this for your wellbeing,” he spoke softly. “And I cannot bear to think of you in someone else’s arms.”

They were the words Izou wanted to hear, yet it felt less satisfying than he hoped for. Still, he smiled, knowing his request would go ignored.

“I promise I will come here more often,” Smoker continued, lifting his other hand to stroke at Izou’s cheek. “And no one else will ever touch you again.” Closing the distance between them, Smoker pressed his lips against Izou’s for a moment far too brief for the kiss to actually mean anything and just as swiftly, the general was once again out of his grasp, returning to his wife as if he had done nothing wrong.

Absentmindedly, Izou let the cloak slide down his shoulders and pool on the floor before he stepped closer to the window, just in time to see the general walk out of the house with the familiar soldier in tow. Smoker never looked back, only proving to Izou that none of his words were true, making him sigh in exasperation. He did, however, catch sight of the unfortunate soldier Smoker dragged with him every single time. Their eyes met, as they always did, since Thatch was the only one that looked back as they left after every visit. Izou was sure the remorse on Thatch’s face was completely mirrored on his own. With a reluctant hand, Izou waved at him and earned a smile in return. It was far from the bright grin that used to grace Thatch’s face, but at least it was honest.

Leaving the pile of red fabric where it fell, Izou returned to the bed and retrieved the white tunic he had worn prior to Smoker’s visit, clasping it together on his shoulders and letting the hemline touch the ground like it would on any woman who was meant to wear it. He didn’t bother with more layers on the account of not leaving the safety of the house, deciding to brush his hair just to try and preoccupy his mind with anything other than the memory of Thatch’s eyes.

Not even an hour after Smoker’s departure, the city shook for the first time. The distressed murmurs drifted through the windows, carried on a soft breeze that suggested all was well outside. Izou didn’t let himself panic, sure all was well with the world, and there was nothing to worry about. After all, the sun was still shining and the sounds of the world beyond his humble four walls returned to the normal chatter. All was well, at least as well as it could be considering his own problems, the pool of red on his floor doing nothing more than reminding him of what his life had become.

No matter what menial task he took on, his mind followed a familiar path through his memories, cherishing the ones he had shared with a certain soldier so long ago and replaying them as his only solace in the empty house. It had already been years since the last time he was free to have anyone he wanted to share his bed, years since he enjoyed the touch of someone who actually cared for him. Years too long, he realized, but it had never been his decision. While he was reduced to a puppet in Smoker’s control, Izou had to live with the knowledge that Thatch stood before his door knowing what they were doing inside. Even with his less than noble occupation, Izou couldn’t help but be disgusted by himself.

The ground shook again, rattling the walls and shocking Izou from his thoughts. Noise like rumbling of thunder sounded above the city, and shouts of panic pierced the air just outside the window. The shaking repeated itself, throwing Izou off balance and prompting more screaming from outside. As fast as he could, Izou made it to the window, and his eyes went wide from the sight. People were screaming as they ran in the streets, avoiding the cracked ground. Soldiers were appearing in the crowds, the red of their cloaks setting them apart from the civilians as they tried to calm the citizens. It didn’t seem to work as far as Izou could see, the ground shaking with more force once again. A flash of panic went through him at the thought of being left behind in the face of what appeared to be the wrath of the gods. He wasn’t foolish enough to think Smoker would come back for him if something were to happen.

With panic crawling under his skin and his eyes blown wide, Izou observed as flakes of ash marred the sky following another rumble. They floated on the breeze, and he couldn’t help but notice how peaceful it looked if he ignored all the shouting and the commotion from the ground. Swiftly, he passed through the upper floor of the house, opening the window on the south side overlooking the mountains. It didn’t take much to notice the ash and rumbling originated from the volcano that lay a short distance from the city.

The ash was falling from the sky in thick clumps, darkening the previously bright day, and Izou was numb. He backed away from the window but did nothing more to move. There was nothing for him to do. The soldiers in the streets below shouted instructions for the civilians to evacuate to the harbor, the free born citizens first while the slaves and former slaves were to wait. Even if he were born a free man, Izou had no hopes of being let onto a ship with the reputation he had. Everyone knew who and what he was, his occupation painting him a second rate citizen with no hope for leaving the city. His place was in the city, in his house. He was to pray to the gods that they would not ruin their town of Pompeii and its citizens that were not worthy of saving.

Izou was deaf to the panicked shouting from the streets, blind to the ash falling gently, sticking to the clean surfaces of the houses around his. His sole focus was the regret he harboured for years and the oppressing presence of a red general’s cloak on the floor of his bedroom that signalled everything that went wrong with his life. He sank to the cold floor, his legs folding underneath him as he stared into nothing, mind wrapped around the single bud of a hope that at least Thatch might escape the city.

* * *

Thatch hurried through the city, fighting his way through the panicked people in an attempt to reach his destination before anything went horribly wrong. The first tremor alerted him, but no one else thought much of it, so he ignored it as well. Earthquakes were known to happen, after all, and nothing serious came from it. The second and third, however, shook him with fear. Fear for the city, fear for himself, but mostly fear that he would not get a chance to hold Izou again.

Smoker was still his superior, even in times of overwhelming panic that followed the first bouts of ash from the sky, and he wanted Thatch to remain by his side. He was not needed, he knew it, and it ripped him apart that Smoker still clung to his petty jealousy.

The ash fell from the sky like dirty snow, carried on a soft breeze from the top of the volcano, crushing all hope of a happy ending for any of them. Their orders became clear as the sky darkened; evacuate the civilians to the harbor and lead them to the ships. It was simple enough, many soldiers already leading the people through the streets, and Thatch tried to follow the orders given to him. Really, he did. He had a duty to uphold, orders to follow, and in such a time of crisis, the people would turn to the army for help. It was up to him to be there for those in need.

Still, as the rumbling from the volcano and the quaking of the ground continued, Thatch was doubting his decision to obey Smoker’s orders. Seeing a blur of green hair run through the crowd towards the centre of the city was all it took to change his mind. If a commanding officer like Zoro could disobey direct orders and leave the civilians in favor of running towards the source of the disaster, so could Thatch.

He glanced around, trying to find Smoker in the fray so he could avoid the man, but the general was nowhere to be seen. It made things easier for him, slipping away unnoticed even if it hardly mattered anymore. Smoker, however, seemed to keep a keen eye on him, probably knowing what Thatch planned all along. With a strong grip, Smoker stopped him, ignoring the people around them.

“Don’t you dare!” he yelled, and Thatch wanted to shout, he wanted to punch Smoker for the misery he caused over such stupid reasons. “He’s not yours!”

Thatch’s blood was boiling with rage as Smoker confirmed all his suspicions: for him, Izou was nothing but a toy, a pretty possession to keep to himself so it would remain untainted by unworthy hands such as Thatch’s own. There was no real affection in Smoker’s words, no love to be found, just pure greed and want to have something no one else does. Thatch broke free from the bruising grip and his fist connected with Smoker’s face in a matter of seconds.

“You do not own him!” Thatch shook with rage, paying no mind to the other soldiers now looking at them nor the civilians that still hurried to their safety without a glance towards them. “And if I am to die today, I would much rather die with him.”

Using the shock of the onlookers to his advantage, Thatch pushed through the crowd and disappeared into the fray, away from his fellow soldiers and his superior. His feet took him through familiar streets without so much as a second thought, his mind trained only on Izou and the hope he already escaped. He was deluding himself, of course, knowing full well that Izou wouldn’t be granted permission to board a ship. There was always hope, though.

The crowd was almost non-existent as he drew closer to Izou’s house, most of the people evacuated. At least the ones that were allowed on the ships. He hardly cared for anyone at the moment, though, anyone save for Izou, and Thatch ran faster, slipping on the street that was slowly being covered by the thick ash.

“Izou!” he called out as soon as the well known house appeared within his sight, caring little about whether Izou could actually hear him or not. The layer of ash under his feet muffled the thundering of his footsteps in the empty street, the cataclysmic noise from the volcano doing nothing to help his voice carry to the house he was trying to reach. Even if it was becoming clearer by the moment that the whole disaster had only one possible outcome, Thatch couldn’t bear to think of anything other than his destination and what he would find there.

The house seemed intact from the outside, if he ignored the layer of ash forming on every surface, but that still didn’t reveal whether Izou was still inside. Thatch hurried as much as he could, his cloak shielding him from the oppressing ash as he finally reached the door he guarded so many times in the previous years yet could never enter. He was almost too nervous to finally throw the door open, feeling as if he was was breaking into a temple, but he found it hard to focus on the thought when he was so close to his goal.

Slowing his pace a little, he gently closed the door before going through the ground floor in search for Izou. He found nothing but the familiar place he hadn’t seen in so long and smiled at the fact it had hardly changed since. With trepidation, he climbed to the upper floor and ran into the bedroom first, unable to decide whether he was relieved that Izou wasn’t there or sad that he found nothing save for his general’s cloak in a pile near the window. Still, he didn’t give up, going through the rest of the rooms, slowly losing hope when he finally found what he had been looking for.

Izou was on the ground close to an open window, staring as the ash drifted into the room with red rimmed eyes and tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Izou,” he breathed out and Izou snapped to attention, turning towards him with a slow motion before a gasp left his lips.

“Thatch?” he asked, his voice small as he wore several emotions on his face. Thatch smiled, hurrying to close the window before he sank to the ground in front of Izou. The sky was darkening behind him with all the smoke rising and the ash carried by the wind, but he no longer cared; he was where he was supposed to be.

He wasted no time, lifting his shaking hand to Izou’s tear stained face, wiping the moisture with his thumb. Words eluded him as he was, at long last, allowed to touch Izou again. Izou trembled under his touch, but his eyes were focused on him as if he weren’t sure whether Thatch was really there or not. He seemed to come to a conclusion as his hands moved, gripping tight and pulling him close as if it were the last thing he’ll do. For all they knew, it might be. For a moment, Thatch let himself conclude that even if they lived through the wrath of gods, Smoker would have his head for disobeying orders.

Still, he regretted nothing he had done since the apocalypse had started. He simply pulled Izou closer, holding him tight for a few moments before loosening his grip once again. Thatch stood, smiling in reply to Izou’s questioning looks before he reached down and gripped Izou under his knees and around his waist, lifting him off the floor with ease. Izou didn’t question him, simply looping his arms around Thatch’s neck as his hands tangled in the fabric of his cloak.

Thatch made it to the bedroom in a few steps, placing Izou on the unmade bed before he started for the window to close this one as well. It was a silly thing to think about at the moment, but Thatch couldn’t stand the remnants of Smoker’s presence in the room and after a moment of contemplation grabbed the cloak from the floor before throwing it out the window. He was being petty at the moment, but neither he nor Izou made an attempt to comment, so he simply closed the window and turned back to the bed where Izou sat, looking at him intently. Thatch unclasped his armor and arm guards, depositing them on the ground before removing his cloak as well. He was about to leave it on the floor with the rest, but Izou reached out for it, and Thatch walked to the side of the bed, sliding his cloak over Izou’s shoulders. He climbed onto the bed, pulling Izou into his lap with the fabric securely around him.

Leaning against the wall and holding Izou close, they both sighed in relief.

“I was afraid I would never see you again.” Izou’s voice was so soft, Thatch barely heard it over the noise from outside. His arms wound tighter around Izou’s body in reply, feeling it was clear he thought the same. “You should go now,” Izou continued, and Thatch froze at his words. “You still have time to get to the harbor and away with a ship, you can save yourself.”

Izou was avoiding his eyes, his face tilted downward in an attempt to hide it from Thatch, but he was having none of that. With a firm hand, he tilted Izou’s chin up until their eyes met.

“I would never leave without you,” he said, his smile honest and light. Even if he were able to board a ship and save himself, he wouldn’t do it. There was nothing left for him outside of that room, no life nor future, no matter how the day ended. He would never leave Izou again, certain that Smoker could no longer step between them. They were free.

Izou smiled back, relief taking over his features. This was it. Neither of them planned on leaving anymore as they were finally together and at peace with their fate.

“I’m sorry,” Izou said, and Thatch immediately knew what it was about. “I never should have agreed to this arrangement, I…” Thatch pressed his lips against Izou’s to stop the words from coming out. He knew all of it was a mistake, but he had never blamed Izou for any of it. They were simply unlucky, even more so if he chanced a glance at the ash now smothering the outside world. With no regard to the ends of the earth outside the window, Thatch closed his eyes and slid his lips against Izou’s for the first time in too long.

Izou slid his arms around Thatch’s neck, desperately trying to make up for the time they had lost now that they were granted a small window of a second chance. He never let the comforting weight of Thatch’s cloak fall from his shoulders, Thatch’s arms snaking under it to hold Izou’s waist in a most familiar way. Some things were impossible to forget, both of them could agree on that, no matter how long it had been.

Kissing him felt like breathing after almost drowning. Thatch couldn’t pull away, ignoring the increasing noise from outside and the shaking of the ground beneath them. The entire house was rattling, the weak wooden doors creaking and the windows threatening to break from the force of it. Sounds of crashing and breaking of the weaker structures in the neighborhood joined the commotion of sounds, forceful enough to break their kiss.

The sky was no longer visible in the slightest, thick dark clouds obscuring it and raining ash. Or at least it looked as if it was coming from the clouds, reminding Thatch of the snowstorm he had witnessed a long time ago. Except, instead of the bruising cold, the air was growing warmer by the minute while the rain of ash grew thicker.

Izou’s back was turned to the window, and he did nothing to even attempt glancing at the world beyond their own safe haven. There was no realistic chance of the house withstanding whatever it is that was coming for them and the city, but he no longer wanted to waste time thinking of the end that appeared to be inevitable. It was a blessing, if he were honest, the apparent wrath of their gods freeing him from Smoker’s clutches hopefully once and for all.

Still, he had no time to lose with the tremors growing stronger, despite it seeming impossible only moments ago. As swiftly as he could, Izou shifted in Thatch’s lap until he was straddling his waist, the cloak still securely around his shoulders and his hair falling in messy strands before his face. Thatch only secured the grip he had on Izou’s waist, letting his chin rest on Izou’s shoulder and his nose bury in the soft locks, breathing in the scent he had missed dearly. He let Izou cover them both with the worn cloak as if it would protect them from the world and its end.

“I wish we had more time,” Izou whispered against his neck. “There was so much I wished for with you.”

It was a bittersweet notion, hearing such words for Izou’s lips when the only thing they didn’t have at the moment was, in fact, time.

“I know,” Thatch spoke, his lips brushing against the skin of Izou’s neck as his hold tightened. He no longer had time to even let go, not that he wanted to anymore, not after all the time without each other. “I know…” he repeated, his grip that much tighter as he shut his eyes, letting Izou’s presence wash over him.

Another bout of rumbling sounded from outside, louder this time, followed by an earthquake stronger than all of those before. Izou jolted in his arms, gripping him tighter around his neck, and Thatch could feel his heartbeat quicken its pace. The entire house shook as several windows shattered and walls started crumbling around them. Part of the roof collapsed, and Thatch turned around, placing Izou between himself and the wall in a poor attempt to shield him if the roof fell completely.

The ash started drifting through the cracks, gently flying through the room and settling around them. The air was stifling and hot, making it harder to breathe and easier to panic as the knowledge that this really was the end sank in.

“We are going to die.”

It wasn’t a question, and Thatch didn’t even begin to try and reply, doing his best to at least offer some semblance of comfort. He kissed Izou again, trying to distract him if only for a short moment and for his own peace of mind, he had to admit.

“I’d much rather die here than leave without you,” Thatch told him as he broke the kiss, meaning every word of it. The past few years were only barely bearable because of the simple fact that Izou was alive and well, something he wouldn’t have as comfort had he listened and escaped while he still had the chance.

Izou pressed closer, a soft cough leaving his lips as the amount of ash grew in the room, the roof above them swaying dangerously. For a brief moment, Thatch cursed his own recklessness for taking off the armor, but he would not leave Izou for even a second to put it back on. He would have to protect Izou with his own body if there was no other option.

An earth shattering explosion and a renewed rumbling of the ground, however, served to prove his attempts would be futile. The temperature was rising, the ash coating the room and the cloak they were still covered with. Izou drew it over his head, pleading for Thatch to follow, and he couldn’t find it in himself to refuse, knowing full well it would probably be the last thing he could do for the other.

“You should have saved yourself,” Izou told him in the feigned safety of the cloak. Despite his words, Thatch could see Izou was glad he had not left and the feeling was mutual. “You could have left…”

Thatch smiled despite the situation and the lack of oxygen, burrowing his face in the crook of Izou’s neck once again. “I know,” he said once again. He could have, Thatch knew that very well, he could have been out on the open sea already, watching from a safe distance, but it wouldn’t have been right. It was clear to him that they were meant to die together.

“Izou?” he whispered as he felt Izou’s breathing slow in the overwhelming heat. “I promise I will find you in the afterlife,” he said and he meant it, hoping he would get a chance to at least make up for the time they had lost. “I will find you, and I will never let you go again.”

The room felt as if it were burning around them, the rest of the room crumbling in a wave of heat and unbearable noise, yet he felt nothing save for Izou in his arms and a promise whispered with his last breath until there was nothing left.

* * *

“Professor! Professor!” one of the students shouted from the other side of the dig, drawing attention from every single person present. “Professor Nico, we found something!”

Robin lifted her head from the smaller finds Izou was sketching in the tent and looked at the student that made his way towards them. Her face was one of perfect calm, but Izou could tell she was strongly disapproving of such pollution of her important dig with unnecessary noise. It was almost enough to bring a smile to his face, but he fought it for the sake of not getting on her bad side.

“Well, come on,” she said, rising from her seat and prompting Izou to follow. “I’m sure there is something for you as well.”

He did as he was told with a chuckle, securing his sketches of the ceramics on the table before they set out to meet the students that waited for them. Usopp was nervous as he stood in front of the tent, seemingly aware of his over the top excitement.

“What did you find?” Robin asked as they walked across the grounds with Usopp leading the way.

“I believe it’s a soldier wrapped in his cloak,” he said with an excited grin. “We dug him out in what looks like a collapsed house, but so far we can only recognize the fabric of the cloak and sandals on feet that weren’t covered.”

Robin nodded with a faraway look on her face, but Izou could tell she was slowly falling into excitement herself.

“There was also some intricate jewelry found in the same room that seems to be preserved well, but needs to be cleaned thoroughly,” Usopp continued, but Robin was zoning out as they reached their destination. Izou could clearly see the red remnants of the soldier’s cloak, recognizing it with ease as they’ve already found another soldier wearing the same garment. Well, a soldier and his lover, as Robin liked to remind him. If there was one thing she was proud of, it was the couple she discovered in this very city. They had known the city was full of people yet to be discovered, but it was still amazing whenever they found even the tiniest of objects.

Finding a person, however, was a completely different experience, humbling them both as they were granted a chance to catch a glimpse of a life long extinguished, but preserved perfectly under the very thing that had destroyed them all. The students around the find stepped aside, letting Robin and Izou take over. After all, the professors were the ones that handled the fine cleaning and revealing of each find.

Armed with gloves, brushes and a lot of patience, they set out on discovering just who was hiding inside the red cocoon. Clearing the hardened lava took the longest, but despite how careful they had been, pieces of the cloth were simply not saved. Still, as the remaining pieces were gently removed, Robin couldn’t suppress a smile at the first sight of darkened hands still clutching at the, presumably, soldier’s wide back. Izou didn’t need further clarification to know they had uncovered another heartbreaking story that met its end under the ashes of Mount Vesuvius.

Still, this sight of unfortunate lovers sent chills down Izou’s spine, an eerie sense of déjà vu taking a hold of him as he stood before the soldier that died with his face buried in the crook of his lover’s neck. With barely any interest, he listened to Robin talk of the man and the woman protected by his body, a woman that was most likely a prostitute, but he heard almost none of it. He wanted to protest, tell her that it wasn’t a woman, yet he could hardly explain why.

Shaking away the strange thoughts, Izou picked up the jewelry found near the lovers and turned back towards their tent, hoping the feeling of utter loss would fade by the time he started documenting the newfound items.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> previously posted in my ficlet collection, but i've edited the first chapter and decided to post them together

It had been weeks and Izou still couldn’t stop himself from staring into the lovers they unearthed on the Pompeii site. They were eerily captivating, familiar and filled him with sorrow unlike any he had felt before. Even more so since Robin confirmed they were, in fact, both male, just like Izou thought. Still, he couldn’t get over the feeling in his chest whenever he looked at the couple united in a hug for centuries. It made him wonder, not for the first time, about their last moments together. 

And now they were set behind thick glass in a museum, on display in what was their last moment together in this world, with all the salvaged items with breathtaking decorations arranged around them. The sight was definitely one he would never forget, Izou knew, and he couldn’t help the feeling of loss at knowing he wouldn’t be able to stare at them at all times now that they were finally in the museum. 

The other pair of lovers Robin discovered were displayed in the same room, filling it with such sadness that weighed heavy on Izou for some reason. Despite the party going on around him with the historians and the rich people, all gathered at the revealing of the newest find yet no one but him was there, looking at them. Somehow it felt like intruding, though, watching them like this, even if it was just him in front of the glass.

Robin seemed to understand his fascination, leaving him be without a single comment, but Izou could tell he was acting suspiciously and his coworkers were slightly worried, casting odd glances his way. He couldn’t say he cared much, though, even if it was worrisome that the fascination was growing into a full blown obsession and he couldn’t even figure out why that was.

“Fascinating, aren’t they?” a low voice to his right inquired. Izou startled a bit, but didn’t look away from the display. 

“Sad would be the word I’d use,” he replied wryly, keeping his gaze steady on the display. The stranger stayed at his side as they lapsed into silence, observing the unfortunate couple. 

“I told you I’d find you again,” the stranger whispered into the silence between them, making Izou shudder with the melancholy he heard. His head turned towards the slightly taller man at his side, ready to excuse himself and leave this stranger that clearly had him mistaken for someone else, but the words died in his throat as soon as their eyes met. 

The man was a stranger and yet he wasn’t at the same time. His blue eyes were patient as he offered a small smile as Izou stared at him, struck by a weight of memories of what felt like only yesterday. The pain, the separation, the hollow feeling in his chest and then the last moments of happiness mixed with fear. He remembered and relived it in scant moments as the stranger observed him without a word. 

To Izou it seemed like the man itched to reach out and touch him, but refrained from doing so as Izou remained speechless. He gathered his wits in a heartbeat, though, finally understanding where his obsession was coming from and refusing to let it overwhelm him. By some miracle of fate, he was being given… everything, essentially. All the things he once held dear and lost, without even remembering until only moments ago. But now he did remember and that was all he needed. 

Surprising the stranger, Izou grabbed him by the wrist and hurried out of the room, towards the Egyptian room that was bound to be empty with the museum closed for the party. The stranger sputtered a bit, but said nothing in complaint. Still, Izou could tell there was a question coming his way as they walked into the dim room of the Egyptian exhibit. He turned, facing the stranger that wasn’t a stranger anymore, not really, before stopping completely and pulling him closer, smiling at the wide eyed look he got in response.

“Now you’re supposed to never let go again,” Izou whispered with a smile, letting a warm hand against his cheek pull him closer and finally feeling the hollowness in his chest disappear. 


End file.
